


Identity Crisis

by Halunygin



Series: Pride Anthology [10]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Family, Family Feels, Gen, Next Generation, Possible Bisexuality, Questioning, confused Teddy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-04-18 22:26:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14223111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Halunygin/pseuds/Halunygin
Summary: Teddy's having an identity crisis, and goes to Harry for help.





	Identity Crisis

_2011_

"So that's the boy Teddy's been writing about?" Ginny asked, as she and Harry watched from the stairs the two twelve year olds working on their summer homework in the living room. Teddy muttered something to the boy, Danny, he had introduced himself as, who smirked and pulled one of Teddy's dark green curls teasingly and let it spring back. Teddy half-heartedly slapped his hand away, a shy smile on his face.

"Yeah, they seem like really close friends," Harry replied. Ginny snorted, and her husband looked at her, confused.

"What?"

"Harry, come on, do they look like just friends?"

"Yeah? Friends mess with each other, Gin."

Ginny gave him her 'you're that thick, Potter?' look. "I know how brotherly interactions usually go, and I know Teddy. He normally has no problem retaliating, but he just brushed Danny off, and he didn't even put any effort into it."

Harry furrowed his brow. "You mean, Teddy likes that kid playing with his hair? Like-"

"Now he gets it," his wife muttered. "Yes, I think Teddy might swing the other way."

Harry nodded slowly, and Ginny was faintly amused by the panic in his face. Parental things always threw Harry for a loop, and sexuality was clearly a subject he was lost on.

"Calm down. I don't think we should approach him about it."

"You don't?"

Ginny shook her head sagely. "He's only twelve, he's got time, and if he wants to talk to us, then we'll be here. For now, let's just be grateful we can witness innocent things like this."

She inclined her head to where Teddy and Danny were whispering to each other, and Teddy's attempts at stifling his giggles were for naught.

"I know he's not really ours, but we're doing a really good job with him, right?" Harry asked, and there was an undertone of emotion that he'd only dare reveal to her, Ron, and Hermione. Ginny hugged his torso and rested her cheek on his shoulder.

"Yeah, we are. Remus would be proud of you."

That was all that was needed to bring a teary smile to her husband's face, and he sniffed, and pointed upstairs, to where their other children were waking up from their naps, if the sounds of James and Albus biting each other's heads off were any indication.

* * *

_2016_

Harry scratched out another misspelling in his report. Oh, how he hated paperwork, it only reminded him how weak his writing skills were. He had certainly improved since his school days, thank Merlin for Hermione, but it was a pain still nonetheless.

He heard a knock on his study door, and without looking up, said, "For the last time, James, I'm not giving you the map, stop asking."

"Well, you can't say he isn't tenacious," a voice laughed lightly. Harry tossed his report onto his desk and smiled at his godson.

"No, we certainly can't and I blame Ron. What's on your mind, Hogwarts graduate?"

Teddy sat down in the opposite chair, and folded his hands. "Nothing." At Harry's raised eyebrows of disbelief, he added insistently, "Can't a teenager visit his godfather for no reason other than he misses him?"

"Of course," Harry conceded. "But you're shuffling, and your hair's a strobe light, so tell me what's bugging you, kid."

Teddy ran a hand through his now solidly purple waves. "It's - I don't know how to explain this."

Harry settled more comfortably in his squashy desk chair. "Take your time, Ted."

"I'm gay." Teddy furrowed his brow. "That sounded so much clunkier in my head."

He looked at Harry, and his godfather simply smiled. "I know, Teddy. For a few years now."

"You did? How - Oh, Ginny, right," the metamorphmagus shook his head. "Anyway, that's not my problem. I figured out the gay thing pretty easily. But then- this is just between us?"

"Of course, Teddy," Harry said softly, slightly worried. Was his godson in trouble? A vision of Teddy testing positive for some STD swam to the forefront of his mind, and he had to steady himself in his chair.

"I like someone, someone I probably shouldn't, but even if I could date them, it doesn't make sense."

Oh, romantic advice, thank Merlin. Sure, he wasn't exactly an expert on wooing men, but he'd do his best to help Teddy however he could.

"What about this person doesn't make sense?" he asked.

"It's a girl," Teddy replied, and Harry raised an eyebrow. Well, that was certainly familiar territory on his part, but he didn't really see why Teddy was in such a tizzy.

"Is that it?"

Teddy gave him a wide-eyed look. "Harry, I'm gay, I'm not supposed to like girls, especially Vic!"

The metamorphmagus clamped a hand over his mouth and his hair went bright pink. Harry's eyebrows disappeared into his messy hair.

"Victoire?"

Teddy threw his head onto Harry's desk. "Yes, she lured me in with her strawberry blonde hair and now nothing makes sense."

"So melodramatic," Harry laughed, pulling the teen back upright. Teddy's eyes were pale blue as he put his head in his hands.

"I finally got comfortable with who I was, and now I find out I'm wrong."

Harry sighed and ruffled his godson's hair soothingly. "Listen, Ted, just because you've graduated from school doesn't mean you're finished growing. The truth is, you never stop."

Teddy looked back up and smirked. "Did you get that from Hermione?"

Harry pouted. "I come up with wise things too. Sometimes."

"Rarely," Teddy corrected teasingly. "So what, I should just do away with a label?"

"You should do whatever you want to, without feeling like you need to adhere to some social standard," his godfather said. Teddy's hair shifted back to purple.

"Yeah, and you know what? I think I should tell Vic. She might beat me up, but that's a risk I'm willing to take."

Harry laughed, for Victoire had most certainly inherited her mother's temper. "You never know, she might like you too."

That shy smile from years ago had reemerged. "Maybe. You shouldn't give the map to James."

"Oh?"

"No, you should leave it out for him to nick," Teddy said. "With certain obstacles, of course, make him earn it."

Harry grinned. "I think that's a brilliant idea."

Teddy stood up, and was about to leave, when he paused, and turned around. Harry made a soft sound of surprise at the hug.

"Thanks for listening, Harry."

Harry felt his eyes tear up. This boy, as good as his, wasn't little anymore, and that realization hit him right then.

"Anytime, kid."

When Teddy left his office, Harry opened the left drawer and pulled out the map, running his wand along it passively.

 

**Author's Note:**

> In case it wasn't clear, my intention was Teddy's not sure if he's really bi either, but he learns that it's not pressing to get that answered right away.


End file.
